Une soirÈe chez Berlioz – an evening with Berlioz, songs for voice, piano and guitar, with StÈphanie D’Oustrac, Thibaut Roussel (guitar), and Tanguy de Williencourt (piano).
Author: Anne Ozioro
A Baroque Christmas from Harmonia Mundi
A baroque Christmas from Harmonia Mundi, this year’s offering in their acclaimed Christmas series. Great value for money – four CDs of music so good that it shouldn’t be saved just for Christmas. The prize here, though is the Pastorale de NoÎl by Marc-Antoine Charpentier with Ensemble Correspondances, with SÈbastien DaucÈ, highly acclaimed on its first release just a few years ago.
Christmas at St George’s Windsor
Christmas at St George’s Chapel, Windsor, with the Choir of St. George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, James Vivian, organist and conductor. New from Hyperion, this continues their series of previous recordings with this Choir. The College of St George, founded in 1348, is unusual in that it is a Royal Peculiar, a parish under the direct jurisdiction of the monarch, rather than the diocese.
Time and Space: Songs by Holst and Vaughan Williams
New from Albion, Time and Space: Songs by Holst and Vaughan Williams, with Mary Bevan, Roderick Williams, William Vann and Jack Liebeck, highlighting the close personal relationship between the two composers.
Liszt: O lieb! – Lieder and MÈlodie
O Lieb! presents the lieder of Franz Liszt with a distinctive spark from Cyrille Dubois and Tristan RaÎs, from ApartÈ. Though young, Dubois is very highly regarded. His voice has a luminous natural elegance, ideal for the MÈlodie and French operatic repertoire he does so well. With these settings by Franz Liszt, Dubois brings out the refinement and sophistication of Liszt’s approach to song.
Vaughan Williams: The Song of Love
From Albion, The Song of Love featuring songs by Ralph Vaughan Williams, with Kitty Whately, Roderick Williams and pianist William Vann. Albion is unique, treasured by Vaughan Williams devotees for rarely heard repertoire from the composer’s vast output, so don’t expect mass market commercial product. Albion recordings often highlight new perspectives.
Berthold Goldschmidt: Beatrice Cenci, Bregenzer Festspiele
Berthold Goldschmidt’s Beatrice Cenci at last on DVD, from the Bregenzer Festspiele in 2018, with Johannes Debus conducting the Wiener Symphoniker, directed by Johannes Erath, and sung in German translation.
Sandrine Piau: Si j’ai aimé
Sandrine Piau and Le Concert de la Loge (Julien Chauvin), Si j’ai aimé, an eclectic collection of mélodies demonstrating the riches of French orchestral song. Berlioz, Duparc and Massenet are included, but also Saint-Saëns, Charles Bordes, Gabriel Pierné, Théodore Dubois, Louis Vierne and Benjamin Godard.
Gerald Finzi Choral Works
From Hyperion, Gerald Finzi choral works with the Choir of Trinity College, Cambridge, conducted by Stephen Layton. An impressive Magnificat (1952) sets the tone.
Herbert Howells: Choir of King’s College, Cambridge
The Choir of King’s College, Cambridge has played a role in the evolution of British music. This recording honours this heritage and Stephen Cleobury’s contribution in particular by focusing on Herbert Howells, who transformed the British liturgical repertoire in the 20th century.